United Parcel Service Inc. won U.S. certification to fly drones under regulations similar to those for airlines, a milestone that allows the company to vastly expand airborne deliveries. The Federal Aviation Administration gave the courier permission to use delivery drones at hospital, university, and corporate campuses with few restrictions, for example, letting operators fly the aircraft at night and over people. Current regulations prohibit drone flights after dark, above people, beyond the remote pilot’s line of sight and at weights heavier than 55 pounds.
“We believe now there are hundreds of campuses across the United States where we’re going to be able to offer this solution,” UPS Chief Transformation Officer Scott Price said in an interview. “We’re pretty confident we’re going to be at the forefront of trialing the various models.”
